Lyrics
The Good Land
Señoritas and their long black hair in the doors
Dirty bar room floors and open pours
Sundays never smile anymore
Between the bums and dead end kids
I can hear ‘em all laugh at the lives they live
I can hear ‘em all laugh at what they been
Doctors, lawyers, bankers, bums in the end
Twenty dollars on the windowsill
Bet it all that we get our fill
We can ride on out tonight
Old Cadillac Coupe Deville
Bet your sweet ass I will
We can ride on out tonight
I remember what my dear old momma said
You’re gonna live ‘round here ‘till your dead
You’d better get that through your head
Oh momma how could I forget
She’d say it with an angel’s kiss
But angels would never live like this
We can ride on out tonight
There are some that I’m gonna miss
But it ain’t much of a list
We can rid on out tonight
Well I live in a no good town
She gets worse when the sun goes down
I can hear her dirty magic sounds
She drops her bombs upon the ground
Bombs in her clothes, bombs in her prose
Bombs in the basements down below
Bombs in the Sunday picture show
Sundays never smile anymore
No money and my hands are sore
Aw honey that’s what roads are for
We can ride on out tonight
I heard it said many times before
Sundays never smile anymore
We can ride on out tonight
Don’t let your heart
Don’t let your heart
Be troubled when I lay my boots to rest
When I lay them to rest
For I’ve walked these old boots ragged and half to death
Don’t let your heart
Don’t let your heart
Don’t let your heart
Be troubled when I lay my guns to rest
When I lay them to rest
For they’ve cried like thunder when they shaken on down the best
What good is a horse without a rider?
And a gun without a hand?
What good is man without a woman?
And a woman without a man?
South sun shines
South sun shines
South sun shines so bright
On my baby in the morning
In the morning sun
All I need are my boots, my baby and gun
The good land comes
The good land goes
The good land turns to bad
With a little change of clothes
And some neon lights
I never seen nothin’ so sad in all my life
What good is a horse without a rider?
And a gun without a hand?
What good is man without a woman?
And a woman without a man?
Never known what I was after
Spent my whole life ramblin’ round
Well the good lord’s gonna hold me
As the good land’s commin’ down
What good is a horse without a rider?
And a gun without a hand?
What good is man without a woman?
And a woman without a man?
Never known what I was after
Spent my whole life ramblin’ round
Well the good lord’s gonna hold me
As the good land’s commin’ down
Well the good lord’s gonna hold me
As the good land’s commin’ down
Kill em all lonely, kill em all lost
I dream a promise, and I long for the day
Kill em all slowly, kill em all brave
Saddled in sadness, saddled in sin
Rattled by roses, rattled by gin
I have grown weary of the morning sun
Smolderin’ madness, smolderin’ gun
Oh Rock Island
Carry me something
Oh Rock Island
Take care of me good
Have mercy on a man
And his late life crimes
Oh Rock Island
Only friend of mine
They say wild is the reason, rage is the style
Won’t you stay a little longer, just a little while
I love these crooked evenings with you and your wine
Oh Rock Island, only friend of mine
To be your sweetheart, to be your man
Take all my money, take all my land
I dream of lightning and streets of gold
Kill em all slowly, kill em all cold
Oh Rock Island
Carry me something
Oh Rock Island
Take care of me good
Have mercy on a man
And his late life crimes
Oh Rock Island
Only friend of mine
Oh Rock Island
Only friend of mine
I was born to the dirt and the pine
I will take me a north mountain lover
And she will be my north mountain bride
There was a time I was stuck in the bramble
I was alone with myself on my side
Just wakin’ up was a hell of a gamble
That’s when I saw my north mountain bride
North mountain bride
North mountain bride
North mountain bride
North mountain bride
Hills were painted with sun and flowers
I could smell Texas if I only tried
I could see cities and walls and towers
All that I want is my north mountain bride
Where I been and where I’m going
Don’t mean a thing if she ain’t by my side
All that I know’s if I’m gone then I’m going
And I will be there with my north mountain bride
North mountain bride
North mountain bride
North mountain bride
North mountain bride
Someday my boy will say to the others
Someday not too far down the line
I was born to a north mountain lover
And I was born to his north mountain bride
North mountain bride
North mountain bride
North mountain bride
North mountain bride
I whisper to the door
The snow has covered everything
You don’t need me anymore
I’ll keep the time that we have shared
Fresh upon my mind
Please be gentle, please be fair
When you’re leavin’ me behind
The cat will cry
When you say goodbye
Please be gentle, please be fair
When you’re leavin’ me behind
When you’re leavin’ me behind
When you’re leavin’ me behind
I hope this finds you well
I’ve not a second I can spare
So my story I will tell
Oh Joseph when I read the words
In letters that you send
I pray that in this world or next
I’ll see your face again
We left Danville for Caroline
And on to St. Louis
We stopped a while to dry our bones
That’s where they got to me
You’d never know your son I say
He’s grown up tall and right
He’s got his momma’s golden hair
And all his daddy’s fight
We marched for weeks and months my love
Straight through the driving rain
I’m just as worn as this tattered flag
They’ve tied around my brain
The sun, it shines, upon our home
Our family and our farm
I’d gladly trade it all away
To lie within your arms
I sit beneath this old oak tree
And fear I won’t return
The bullet’s deep inside my chest
As I watch our battle turn
Easy come and easy go
That’s what my father says
I can’t imagine that he’s known
A love quite like this
I long to come back home to you
And hold you in the night
Where willows hold those cobbled streets
And war is far from sight
There’s just one thing I ask of you
That’s keep me in your mind
And I will think of you my dear
When I leave this world behind
The Four Letter Words EP
Sad and sour
Dried and dead upon the floor
The blinds have been drawn
All your shit’s in the lawn
Don’t you come ‘round here no more
Good as you been
Spent my fortune
As sad as it might seem
Now I’m wiped out
Wanderin’ about
This ain’t all you said it’d be
Go on and get now, I ain’t buying
I can’t stand the things you do
But I would not be lying
Love’s just one of the four letter words
That I would like to do to you
I been doing some thinking
I been doing some drinking
We know what happens then
It would be all right
Just for one night
To make mistakes all over again
Go on and get now, I ain’t buying
I can’t stand the things you do
But I would not be lying
Love’s just one of the four letter words
That I would like to do to you
Where are the days that you promised
Said a fueled up boy to his lady love
She said son I must be honest
You ain’t the man, you ain’t the man I’m dreaming of
Twelve sunflowers
Sad and sour
Dried and dead upon the floor
The blinds have been drawn
All your shit’s in the lawn
Don’t you come ‘round here no more
Go on and get now, I ain’t buying
I can’t stand the things you do
But I would not be lying
Love’s just one of the four letter words
That I would like to do to you
You stole my fire again
Never sorry
You hold my heart in your hands
Four in the morning
And the streets are covered in fall
Without any warning
You break loose and rattle the walls
Why do you love me?
Why do you want me so much?
So much for easy
So much for leaving a crutch
How long can I wait
Wait for the trumpets to call
Stare out at the grey
As the snowfall covers it all
Everyone packed
Just upped and disappeared
Magnificent act
It’s just what I had feared
Why do you love me?
Why do you want me so much?
So much for easy
So much for leaving a crutch
I need a miracle and the days that just passed me by
And I’ll always have your streets to get me high
Battered and cold
I still have to come home
I’m growing old
I still face you alone
It doesn’t matter
It may be hard to believe
Windows are shattered
I know that I’ll never leave
Why do you love me?
Why do you want me so much?
So much for easy
So much for leaving a crutch
I need a miracle and the days that just passed me by
I’ll always have your streets to get me high
Like a back country line
I’m running out of reasons
Like we’re running out of time
Went to see my Beulah
With her whisper and her bells
And her cold black fields
Right outside of life itself
Oh Sweet Beulah
Where’s that love you lost
Oh Sweet Beulah
In that cold December frost
I went to see my Beulah
Lord, what did I see?
Branches wrapped like ribbons
On that good and evil tree
Knots up in her belly
And her feet beneath the ground
I listened to her sing
I listened to her sound
Oh Sweet Beulah
Where’s that love you lost
Oh Sweet Beulah
In that cold December frost
I been to Lincoln
Lord, I love that town
But I ain’t never seen it
Lay the good and evil down
Dead but not forgotten
As the city walks on by
They can’t hear the sound
Of the good and evil cry
Oh Sweet Beulah
Where’s that love you lost
Oh Sweet Beulah
In that cold December frost
Oh my Beulah
Lay your sweet black eyes on me
Oh my Beulah
And the good and evil tree
To a bang and a cold, cold head
Hands they felt like hammers
And my legs stuck to the bed
Tried to stand and use my words
But nothing could be said
Was right then that I realized
That I was stone cold dead
I’m the ghost of an orphan
I’m the ghost of a man
I’m the ghost of a streetcar
And the ghost of a van
I’m the ghost of a boardroom
Full of cheats and drunks
I’m the ghost of an artist
And an elephant’s trunk
Well I stayed right there inside my bed
Feeling sorry for myself
I never knew that dying
Could be so bad for my health
But then all of a sudden
Well it occurred to me
That there may be an upside
To being what I be
I’m the ghost of an orphan
I’m the ghost of a man
I’m the ghost of a raincoat
And a newspaper stand
I’m the ghost of a trashcan
Full of food and dust
I’m the ghost of nickel
Cause in God I trust
To be a ghost, it ain’t that bad
On that you can rely
But I sure miss the alcohol
Cigarettes and apple pie
At least I get to see all
Those who did not say goodbye
If there’s one thing that we all share
It’s we’re all gonna die
I’m the ghost of an orphan
I’m the ghost of a man
I’m the ghost of a ladder
I’m the ghost of the land
I’m the ghost of a deep hole
I’m the ghost of the sea
I’m the ghost of my father
And I’m the ghost of me
I’m the ghost of an orphan
I’m the ghost of a man
I’m the ghost of a ladder
I’m the ghost of the land
I’m the ghost of a deep hole
I’m the ghost of the sea
I’m the ghost of my daddy
And I’m the ghost of me
I’d love to stick around
And watch you fill the streets from town to town
I would like to ask before I go
How to turn tonight to tomorrow
It’s that time again
My old friend
Goodnight moon
Oh Goodnight
Goodnight moon
Oh Goodnight
Goodnight moon
Goodnight moon
I’d love to stick around
Bitter lover baggage on the ground
Free my hands from what they’ve come to be
And say goodnight to Baltimore for me
It’s that time again
My old friend
Goodnight moon
Oh Goodnight
Goodnight moon
Oh Goodnight
Goodnight moon
Goodnight moon
And don’t forget my name
Just like rye you help me feel no pain
I would like to ask before I go
Help me turn tonight to tomorrow
It’s that time again
My old friend
Goodnight moon
Oh Goodnight
Goodnight moon
Oh Goodnight
Goodnight moon
Goodnight moon
I’d love to stick around
And tear this motherfucker to the ground
Take me, put a smile upon my face
I’m still too young to have to act my age
I can hear them clap their hands
Old lovers are home with their men
And I’m beside you once again
One last city, one more Dixie town
One last hammer coming down
Long has it been since I could be found
Long has my heart been rambling round
Oh be joyful
When we say goodnight
And sing my name
In your southern lullaby
Please don’t you ask me
Where I been
Oh be joyful once again
Say goodbye to sugar rhymes
Do not waste your precious time
And before it strikes me blind
I’d like to leave this war behind
Some will watch the lines all break
Some will watch them twist and quake
I will trade my gun for rake
And live to love another day
Oh be joyful
When we say goodnight
And sing my name
In your southern lullaby
Please don’t you ask me
Where I been
Oh be joyful once again
When I grow to be too old
All my stories have been told
When my blood runs thin and cold
When I’ve got to go
Come to me oh gentle death
When I live with nothing left
Let me feel that sweet black breath
Let me be your gentle guest
Oh be joyful
When we say goodnight
And sing my name
In your southern lullaby
Please don’t you ask me
Where I been
Oh be joyful once again